


(you make me wanna) slow down

by ohjustpeachy



Series: Tony Stark Bingo Fills [17]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohjustpeachy/pseuds/ohjustpeachy
Summary: Steve starts falling asleep in Tony's workshop.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Tony Stark Bingo Fills [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601260
Comments: 20
Kudos: 290
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	(you make me wanna) slow down

**Author's Note:**

> For my Tony Stark Bingo square R5: Handle With Care

“You know, you don’t have to stay down here on my account,” Tony tells Steve, who is still stretched out on the couch in his lab despite the fact that Tony had returned his suit to him almost an hour ago. 

Steve blinks in surprise, and then embarrassment. “Oh, yeah, of course,” he says, rubbing at his neck. “I should let you get back to it.”He moves like he’s about to stand up, get out of Tony’s way, but Tony just clucks his tongue at him. 

“At ease, soldier, I’m hardly kicking you out,” Tony says, looking up from one of his own suits. “Most people don’t enjoy it down here, that’s all.” He doesn’t add that _he_ doesn’t enjoy the presence of most people down here, either, because Steve would read into it, and Steve isn’t _most people._

Steve relaxes a little, leaning back into the plush cushions. “No?” he asks, “why not?”

“I’m hardly a good host, since I’m working. And I usually talk to myself more than anyone else. DUM-E’s beeping puts a lot of people’s teeth on edge after a while, the music’s loud, I sing along...” Tony trails off, like, _need I say more?_

But Steve looks around and shrugs. “I kinda like it,” he says. “I don’t need to be entertained.”

At this, DUM-E makes a little chirping sound, like he’s pleased, and Steve and Tony look at each other and laugh. 

“He likes you,” Tony tells him, and does his best not to look as delighted as he feels when Steve smiles. 

Steve doesn’t go back upstairs after that, not even when Tony loses himself in his work again, and the hours slip away, and the only sounds left are DUM-E’s beeps and Tony soft mutterings. 

The next time Tony looks up, Steve’s sound asleep on the couch, one arm behind his head, the other hanging down onto the floor, completely at ease. He tries not to notice the twinge of warmth that curls through his chest at the sight. 

“Not a word,” Tony warns DUM-E. 

He just clicks excitedly and spins away.

*

A month later, Tony looks up from his workbench at the sound of the glass doors sliding open, and finds Steve standing at the entrance, almost hesitantly.

“Hey,” Steve says quietly. “Busy?”

“Sure, but nothing that can’t wait, Cappuccino,” Tony says easily, walking around to the other side of the table top. “What can I do for you?”

Steve’s quiet for a moment. “Nothing,” he says finally. “Just wanted to see if you minded some company?” Tony clocks the paperback book tucked under Steve’s arm and feels something in his chest soften.

“If it’s you? Never, come on in,” Tony tells him, making a sweeping gesture around the workshop. 

Steve gives him a grateful smile and makes his way over to the couch in the back, settling himself in while he asks what Tony’s been up to, how his day was. They fall into an easy conversation and Steve doesn’t pick up the book for at least the first hour he’s down there. He doesn’t seem to mind Tony’s excited ramblings, or the clattering of tools against metal, even getting up to take a closer look at Tony’s project at one point. 

Eventually, they fall into a comfortable quiet, Steve reading and Tony working and everything else falling away. Steve really does seem content enough to watch and sit and let the background noise of the lab buzz around him. 

This time, Steve falls asleep with his face pressed into the throw pillow Tony had quietly added to the couch, his book open on his chest and his breathing even. 

**

Tony’s up in the kitchen, taking a break for a sandwich and a cup of coffee when he hears Natasha and Bruce arguing from the living room. 

“Why can’t _you_ talk to him? He likes you better,” Bruce is saying. 

Natasha rolls her eyes. “When he’s in one these moods he doesn’t like anyone, so it might as well be you,” she says calmly. 

Tony’s eyebrows furrow. _Who could they be talking about?_

He pokes his head around the doorway, flashing them a smile. “Who are we gossiping about these days?” 

Another eye roll from Nat, then: “Steve. He hasn’t been sleeping and he’s in a godawful mood because of it. He thinks we don’t know, but...” She trails off, and Tony’s chest gives a little pang. 

“Not sleeping?” Tony asks.

They nod in unison. “Nightmares, I think,” Bruce says with a sympathetic grimace. 

Poor Steve. 

He thinks of Steve’s face in the lab, peaceful, content, even, curled up on the couch and sleeping like he doesn’t have a care in the world. _Hm._

“Maybe I can talk to him,” Tony finds himself offering. 

“...Really?” Nat asks. “He’s really...”

“It’s fine, just leave it to me,” Tony says, giving an awkward thumbs up and retreating. 

He’s heading back to the lab, wondering just what he should say to Steve, or if he should make up a reason to call him downstairs again, but when the elevator doors slide open, Steve’s already there, standing in the entrance of the empty workshop looking crestfallen. 

“Looking for me?” Tony asks lightly. He doesn’t want to scare him, or make him feel... _bad_ about anything. 

Steve gives him a small smile. “I was, yeah.” He has two books with him this time, Tony notices. Steve holds one of them up. “I thought you might want to borrow this,” he says. “You might like it.” 

Tony feels a rush of pleasure at the thought of Steve reading a book and thinking about him, wanting to share something he liked. 

“Yeah? What’s it about?” Tony asks, gesturing for Steve to lead them both into the workshop as he talks. 

He sits with Steve on the couch for a while this time, turning the book over in his hands and listening to him talk until he starts smothering yawns into his wrist and apologizing.

“I guess I’m more tired than I thought,” Steve says quietly, running a hand over his face.

“Well, my couch is your couch,” Tony tells him, getting up and making his way back to his workbench. Which, _right_. He comes here to do work. Not have book club with Steve, but...

“You don’t mind?” Steve asks, sounding relieved.

“Of course not. Just don’t tell anyone, I don’t want the rest of them to think I’m playing favorites,” Tony winks.

Steve gives him another small smile, but he’s out like a light in a matter of minutes.

***

Steve comes down again a week later, this time with two mugs in hand. “I brought you some coffee,” he says in greeting. There’s no more hesitating by the door these days, Tony notes happily. 

It’s clear that Steve’s comfortable here in the lab, with him and the noise and everything else, and Tony’s glad for it. He hates to think of Steve awake and alone at all hours, nightmares tormenting him. Then again, he kind of hates the idea of Steve alone, period. Tony finds the workshop strangely empty when he isn’t here. 

Maybe that should unnerve him, but it doesn’t. 

“You really are an American hero, Steven,” Tony says in thanks. This earns him a smile and a nod and Steve wandering over to see what he’s working on. He stands just a little closer than what would be considered _friendly_ , and Tony wonders if its intentional or just another sign of Steve’s level of comfort down here. Whatever it is, Tony can’t say he minds. 

“Thanks for letting me stay down here so much lately,” Steve says suddenly, looking at him seriously. “I can’t... always sleep upstairs.” 

Tony’s quiet, and Steve continues. “It’s so quiet at night, even though we’re in the city. We’re so high up, and... I don’t know.” Steve trails off, and Tony is aware that he’s being trusted with something delicate. 

“You know I don’t mind. I like the company,” Tony says. _Your company_ hangs heavy and unspoken between them. “We can get you a white noise machine,” Tony adds, suddenly desperate to speak, to cover up the way his heart is pounding loud and hard in his chest.

Steve studies him. “Oh, I don’t, uh... I mean, I like the noise down here, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think that’s exactly what...settles me...enough to sleep.” 

_Oh._

Tony swallows. “You might be the first person to ever say that,” he says, his voice tight. 

Steve smiles at him, crooked and wide awake and sure. “Well...good,” he murmurs.

And there’s no way that Tony’s imagining the way Steve is looking at him, the way he said Tony _settles him_ enough to let him sleep on bad nights. Surely, it’s not all in his head, right?

Tony’s heart continues to pound as he brings their lips together, slow and unsure and then deeper, more certain, Steve pulling him in tight. 

“You know,” he says eventually, thrilling in the way Steve’s hand stays firm at his hip, “If it’s not the workshop you’re after... I can think of more comfortable places to sleep.”

Steve laughs, and leans back down to kiss him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm omg-just-peachy on tumblr, come say hi!


End file.
